Huawei unveils new AI infrastructure breakthroughs as the Middle East scales AI ambitions

Huawei, led by Yang Chaobin, announced new AI technologies at Huawei Connect 2026 in Shanghai. These include the Atlas 960E, the industry's first NPO-based SuperPoD, and the Hi-ONE optical engine. The company also confirmed progress on its Ascend 960 AI chip development, aiming for an annual chip release cycle. These advancements come as investment in AI accelerates in the Middle East, with governments and businesses shifting from experimentation to large-scale deployment. This transition demands higher computing capacity and energy efficiency, as foundation models approach 10 trillion parameters, with expectations to exceed 100 trillion by 2030.